started a new character to try some different tactics. started in ireland this time. gonna try no trading. will document end of first 4 weeks, then next 30 days. my character is a outcast noble jute, all my skills are combat oriented.
week 1
i have 4k scillingas and a sword and leather jerkin armor. i only have 3 infantry with me.
week 2
have a ship and 39 recruits (the large number keeps other pirates away), 4.9k scillings. raiding towns on irelands coast. picked only one faction so far to harass. now have low enough relation i can loot and burn villages. attacking villagers and releasing captives to prevent honor from going down too fast.
week 3
turns out you better have good infantry to loot villages, got my but kicked. now have 40 heavy/med infantry and 3k scillingas, 2 companions.
week 4
16k scillings.
day 60
i have 60 heavy infantry, a wagon, 3 more companions, good armor, 3 wineries, and 1600 scillingas. i've mostly raided all of ireland, and fought a few small battles.
so far, pretty good, lots of fun. i've given up horses and am living out my viking dreams. athletics seems pretty important, and sucks moving so slow on map. me and my companions are going 1h/s and javelins. -40 honor though. also dena pirates won't fight me and can out run me. i need to get the rest of my companions now so i can get path finding.
day 90
i caved and traded salt 3 times
. was a short run and easy money.honor is at +22, farmer quests (kill bandits) and saving lords fixed it. have about 10k scillingas. 60 men still, but most are now franks/dena pirates. not a fan of franks but they all upgrade to ship captains (elite heavy infantry). also, frank/pirates are a lot cheaper than heavy mercs, and heavy faction troops are even cheaper. few more companions. they have leather or chain mail, and all have shields, javalins, swords and axes. tested sword vs axes again. seems
early on axes do same to 2x as much damage. but, they are slow and short. case in point: bandits jumped me in town, one got a few hits with an axe (ouch, hurt a lot and would have died without my heavy armor). but i was able to quickly cut him down with my sword (85 vs 77 max axe speed) while backing out of axe range (95 sword has 20 to 35 reach advantage and long blade vs axe head). however, you can be successful with axe if you learn to stay close and get athletics up quick so you can get there quickly and stay there. 21 str/ 10 agi/ 5 int (dumb as all hell)/ 9 cha (ok looking). 7 on iron skin and power strike make me pretty bad ass. athletic only 3 but i will go for 6. body armor is 57/13 plus 5 on gloves, 32 on helm, and 14 boots.
king status
...will update...
conclusion
so, horse is needed early but you can get rid of it pretty quick and fight on foot with your men. trading isn't absolute, but it slows money if you don't do some(imo). you absolutely need businesses. i find armor more important on foot because you can't simply ride away. remember your warcry, and save it for when you get surrounded or to even to move enemy so your men can surround. when facing a lot of heavy calvary make sure you have heavy spearmen. a calvary charge can route your men! i was like wtf? my heavy infantry are running! think i should have gone looking for my companions a little earlier, but seems to be working out. last campaign i got to king status at around 290 days. we will see if i can do same this time.
me: